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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292288">To Dance Again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnygirlthatbelle13/pseuds/funnygirlthatbelle13'>funnygirlthatbelle13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Helpless [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dancing, F/M, Pining, implied Beau/Yasha, implied Fjord/Darrow, waltz 2.0</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:14:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292288</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnygirlthatbelle13/pseuds/funnygirlthatbelle13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After meeting up with an old friend in Zadash, the Nein decide to go to a concert. There, Caleb seeks an opportunity to make up for the failings of his first waltz with Jester.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Helpless [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>165</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Dance Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, guys! Sorry for the radio silence for so long. Life and finals got in the way a bit, plus a bit of widojest week prep. But never fear, I’ve been thinking about this series the whole time! I actually wrote most of this the weekend of Valentines Day and edited it to make sense with where the show and this series is now.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every place that they visited had its pros and cons, but few left Jester with as many mixed feelings as the Empire. Sure, it was where they had all met and had so many adventures, meeting all sorts of cool people, but they were also where the Cerberus Assembly was located, so it was hard to feel too fondly about the place. </p><p>So wandering around Zadash, she was naturally on edge when a voice called out in the Trispires. </p><p>“Hey! Mighty Nein! Mighty Nein!” an accented voice cried, and she whipped around, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum. </p><p>“You guys are looking pretty tan!” Darrow commented, grinning as he jogged to catch up with them.</p><p>Jester’s panic subsided, though her heart was still racing. </p><p>“Yeah, man, the ocean will do that to ya,” Beau said with a grin.</p><p>“How have you been?” Fjord asked, entering what Jester could only describe as a bro hug.</p><p>“Oh, I’m doing just great, my friends!” he said, clapping Fjord on the back.</p><p>“Are the… rest of the Stubborn Stuck here as well?” Yasha asked, her eyes darting around for the rest of the mercenaries. </p><p>“Oh no,” Darrow said dismissively, “I’m just here to see my sister perform.” </p><p>“Oh, you’ve got a sister?” Caduceus said mildly, “That’s nice, so do I.” </p><p>“You said she’s performing?” Fjord clarified, “Is she also… in the business?” </p><p>“Oh no, she’s a singer. Fancy club type of thing, big band she performs with,” Darrow’s eyes lit up, “You guys should come with me tonight! It’ll be fun!” </p><p>“Like, how fancy?” Jester asked, a nauseous feeling rising in her stomach. The last fancy party they’d gone to hadn’t exactly gone well, and she really didn’t want to leave another event with somebody they’d poisoned. </p><p>“Oh, well, you know, I’m gonna change into my dress outfit. But I don’t think it’s going to be a hoity-toity event; the ticket cost two gold.”</p><p>“So not so fancy,” Caleb said, and Jester felt him stepping in closer to her. Was her anxiety that obvious, or was he just that good at reading her? Either way, she was sorely tempted to grab his hand, which was hovering so close to her own. </p><p>“No, I don’t think so,” Darrow said, glancing at them with a curious expression. </p><p>“Well, I think this sounds great,” Caduceus said mildly.</p><p>“We could use the night off,” Fjord commented, “Darrow, where can we get these tickets?”</p><p>Darrow grinned. </p><p>“My friend, I will take you there myself!”</p><p>****</p><p>Despite her initial anxiety, Jester was enjoying herself immensely. Small tables were placed on one side of the hall, where food and drinks were being served. On the other side were the performers on a large stage. Each musician and dancer wore the same pale yellow color in some way or another. And in between the performers and the audience was a large dance floor. </p><p>Darrow’s sister Sarah was wonderful, too. Her jet black hair was curled so beautifully, and the audience was enamored with her gentle crooning, so different from the Ruby’s performing style but still quite charming. </p><p>Her song ended, and everyone began applauding. From the Nein’s table, a cry of “That’s my sister!” could be heard. Jester glanced over at Fjord and Darrow, who were giggling into their cups of mead, before turning back to the stage. </p><p>The host, an older halfling with eyes as bright as his smile, took center stage.</p><p>“Vonderful, vonderful!” he remarked, gesturing to Sarah. It was odd, Jester realized, to hear a Zemnian accent paired with a sharp, bright voice after months of only associating Zemnian with Caleb. </p><p>“And now, we invite you to join us in a favorite dance of mine, The Laendler.” </p><p>Someone must have used thaumaturgy, because the lights dimmed to something low and romantic as couples began to take to the dance floor. </p><p>Jester turned back to her friends. Everyone seemed perfectly content, watching people get up to join the dance. </p><p>“Have you ever heard this one, Jester?” Caleb asked. It was soft, so soft that she doubted anyone at the table next to them would have even realized he’d spoken, but it still startled her. </p><p>“No. Why, do you know it?” </p><p>A sad smile creeped onto Caleb’s face before he mumbled, “Ja.”</p><p>And, much to her surprise, he stood up, offering a hand to her.</p><p>“I think I would be a better dance partner this time around,” he said, his head tilting slightly towards the table. Jester glanced at his cup, which was just as full as when their server had brought it out. Grinning, she took his hand and allowed herself to be led into the center of the dance floor. </p><p>“Miss Lavorre,” he whispered, a twinkle in his eye as he bowed. She giggled as she curtseyed, and let Caleb and the music sweep her away.</p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two three. </p><p>Caleb was as good as his word and even better. He led with a quiet confidence that she had rarely seen in him. The steady way in which he held himself emboldened her to try to copy the moves of the dancers around her. She felt a little silly, doing these skips for the first time in a room full of strangers. But there was a grace to it that she couldn’t quite grasp, but appreciated.</p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.</p><p>“This dress is beautiful, Jester,” Caleb said. </p><p>She felt her cheeks turning purple as she glanced down at the flowy purple dress. </p><p>“I wouldn’t have gotten it if it wasn’t for you,” she mumbled with a smile, “So…. danke.”</p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. </p><p>As she spun, she realized with slight amusement that the purple of her dress was not unlike the purple of Caleb’s new coat. It was a very nice coat, she thought to herself, especially when Caleb dressed up like tonight. His elven chainmail had been switched out for the plain white shirt she had picked out for him in Nicodranas, as well as the blue and purple flowy cravat he’d gotten from the same boutique. He had also tied his hair back with a purple ribbon she’d never seen before. The entire effect was very nice, and between the clothing and the confident posture, Caleb looked like a captain or a baron or some other person she’d find in one of her books. </p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.</p><p>“What is it?” he asked with a smile.</p><p>“Oh, nothing!” she lied, “I was just… thinking about a scene in Tusk Love that’s just like this.”</p><p>Did his smile falter? She was spinning so much it was hard to tell. No, it had to have been a trick of the light. </p><p>“Your hand goes here, blueberry,” Caleb corrected kindly, shifting her hand up a couple of inches. </p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two three. </p><p>She glanced back at their table for just a moment. Darrow had managed to get his sister to come over, it seemed, and she and Veth were chatting. Darrow himself had put an arm around Fjord, who didn’t seem to mind. Caduceus sat there as well, a content smile on his face. </p><p>“Yasha and Beau are dancing as well,” Caleb said as if he could read her mind. </p><p>“You’ve been keeping an eye on everybody?” she asked. She could barely stop herself from staring at her feet.</p><p>“Ja, I am an accomplished multitasker.”</p><p>It wasn’t a very good joke. Heck, most people probably wouldn’t have realized that it was a joke. But Jester grinned nonetheless. </p><p>“I know cantrips that can multitask better than you, Caleb,” she teased.</p><p>“Maybe so.”</p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two three. </p><p>This dance was actually pretty hard. There were so many different types of moves, making it way more complicated than the regular old waltzes her momma had taught her. But Caleb was a very good partner, gently guiding her to all the right positions. </p><p>“You are a natural, Jester,” he said, as if he could read her mind, “Far better than I was when I was first learning.” </p><p>“Really?” she asked, and her voice sounded much smaller than she wanted it to. </p><p>Caleb was staring down at her, a sweet, smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes on his face. His hair, she noticed, seemed to glow like fire in this lighting. </p><p>“Ja, really,” he assured her, spinning her around. </p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two three. </p><p>The steps were becoming easier now, and she felt confident enough to no longer watch her own feet.  Which was a good thing, because otherwise, she would have missed Caleb spinning around her, clapping in time with the song.</p><p>“When did you learn this?” she asked, “Was this part of training to become a spy? Do spies need to be good dancers?”</p><p>Caleb chuckled.</p><p>“Nein, but it can help. No, this was something we did for, uh, festivals and such.” </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. </p><p>Her mind wandered, imagining a young Bren and Astrid doing this same dance. It was strange, thinking about a young, carefree version of the man she was dancing with. </p><p>It became less strange as the dance transitioned into a sort of skipping step. A smile came over Caleb, and suddenly, Jester could see what he might have been like in another life. </p><p>One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. </p><p>A final spin, and the dance was complete. They were standing side by side as if joined at the hip, holding hands at her waist where she could feel his arm wrapped around her back, their other arms making an arch above them. </p><p>And she was staring up at him, and all thoughts immediately vacated her mind. All she could focus on was the way her heart was racing and his soft gaze.</p><p>“How did I do?” Caleb asked, sounding slightly out of breath, his cheeks flushed.</p><p>“Really good, Caleb. Like… wow.” She sounded out of breath, too. </p><p>He chuckled, and she did the same.</p><p>“We’ll have to do that again sometime.”</p><p>“Ja.”</p><p>But, of course, it had to end. Caleb let go of her gloved hands and took a step back.</p><p>“I am, uh, going to go find a seat,” he mumbled, avoiding her eyes, “That was…”</p><p>“Yeah,” she agreed breathlessly.</p><p>They headed back to the table together, but he did indeed split off once she’d sat down next to Beau.</p><p>The band began playing a high-speed number, and Jester tried to pay attention. She really did. But for the rest of the night, her mind kept wandering back to how it felt to dance with Caleb. Unlike their first dance together, which was messy and complicated and filled with melancholy, this one was, well, magical. She touched a gloved hand to her face, smiling to herself as she burned the memory into her mind. </p><p>“Are you alright, Jester?” Caleb asked a little while later. </p><p>“Ja,” she assured him, “It’s just nice to dance again.”</p><p>Under the table, she reached out and grabbed his hand, only meaning to squeeze it for a brief moment. But he held on, and she was never going to be the one to let go. </p><p>They stayed that way for the rest of the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, there it is! I hope that you enjoyed it! If you did, please tell me by pushing the buttons and writing the comments!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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